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Painting Dinosaur Park

Sep 29, 2011

The seven prehistoric creatures at Dinosaur Park have stood above the Rapid City skyline since 1936, but even the meat-eating Tyrannosaurus rex hasn’t caused a lick of trouble.

Rapid Citians are accustomed to them, but one grouchy tourist showed up, took a look, and grumbled, “They’re fakes!” Thank goodness for that, because if they were real, we’d have to build a very tall fence.

Kids are delighted by these sturdy concrete and steel fakes, which were designed by Emmett Sullivan as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project. Nobody cares if you climb on the back of the stegosaurus or balance on the tail of the Apatosaurus.

The Rapid City dinosaurs were concrete gray until 1960, when they were painted green with white bellies. Last Saturday, Circulation Director Jana Lane visited Dinosaur Park and saw the 75-year-old beasts get a touch-up courtesy of volunteers from South Canyon Baptist Church of Rapid City. Photos by Jana Lane.

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Dinosaur Park is a free attraction containing seven sculptures on a hill overlooking Rapid City.
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The dinosaurs were constructed by the city of Rapid City and designed by Emmet Sullivan. Sullivan also designed the Apatosaurus statue at Wall Drug in Wall, South Dakota.
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The park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 21, 1990.
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Real dinosaur footprints have been found not far from this park.
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South Canyon Baptist Church of Rapid City volunteered to scrape and repaint the dinosaurs on the beautiful fall day.
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Jana's daughters even got to do a little painting.
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Comments

12:14 pm - Thu, September 29 2011

Bernie Hunhoff said:

Thanks Jana, this brings back some good memories. This has to be one of the strangest attraction for kids in the country, but I think parents like it too, cause its free and the panoramic view is worth the climb.

06:54 pm - Thu, September 29 2011

Jim said:

The dinosaurs have to be one of the most enduring public works in SD. It's one of those touchstones for the whole state. Everybody seems to have been there at one time or another. But my mom assures me that when they visited the park frequently as students during WWII they were simple gray concrete. No paint. Hats off to those South Canyon Baptists anyone who thinks kids today aren't ambitious about work should have seen this bunch scraping and painting.

04:20 am - Fri, September 30 2011

LouElla said:

Long live the "Dino" park! During the dreadful "dirty thiries" each summer the trip to Rapid included the visit up the hill for the great view. Remember, Disney was still perfecting "Mickey Mouse" and friends. This was our version of Disney World!

06:55 am - Fri, September 30 2011

Katie said:

We had a story a while ago saying there is a hidden time capsule in one of the dinosaurs -- but no one remembers where it is. Great photos, Jana! Thanks for sharing.

06:58 am - Fri, September 30 2011

John Andrews said:

Now the painters should give the Tinkertown pheasant and nag a fresh coat.

07:01 am - Fri, September 30 2011

Laura said:

I’ve always loved Dinosaur Park, so what this post has given me is a renewed appreciation for Franklin Roosevelt, the WPA, and whoever it was out in Rapid City that thought that constructing giant concrete dinosaurs was a good use of taxpayer money. No trip out west feels complete without a stop to see the big guys.

I hope our Meridian Bridge project here in Yankton is similarly beloved in years to come.